SEO Interview Questions and Answers (+Test Task Sample)

How to prepare for an SEO interview

SEO interviews are the perfect opportunity to create a positive first impression on employers while also validating the professional skills covered in your CV. Plan for the interview beforehand to guarantee that you represent yourself accurately, both as an individual and expert. Here’s how:

• Start with the basics. This includes the fundamentals of SEO. While theoretical knowledge might be enough for junior specialists, seasoned SEO specialists must translate that knowledge into real-world results. So, if you want to progress to higher roles, be ready to demonstrate your advanced level of SEO expertise. This means showcasing specific results from your SEO campaigns.
• Get familiar with the company. Go through your prospective employer’s main service pages and analyze their site structure. You can also run an audit of the company’s website beforehand, demonstrating your interest in the position and dedication to the job.

The list of popular SEO interview questions and answers

In this section, we’ll cover some important questions asked during SEO interviews. We’ll also provide a sample answer for each question.

To make it more convenient for you, we’ve divided all questions into the following groups:

• General questions for every skill level.
• Advanced questions for middle to senior roles.
• Entry-level questions for junior positions.
• Questions to evaluate essential soft skills.

Common SEO interview questions for every skill level

1. What is your approach to conducting a technical SEO audit?

Possible answer: First, I typically run an audit using website audit tools like SE Ranking. These tools are great for checking the site’s overall health, and seeing if it is experiencing any new issues, such as broken links, issues with meta tags and localization, etc. These tools also help me discover which site areas to dive deeper into. Then, I look into those key site areas while incorporating data from GSC. The Pages report is especially useful for identifying indexing issues, while the Experience report is great for assessing CWV performance. Next, I gather all of my findings and categorize them by their priority level. Based on this data, I create an action plan (e.g., to improve the title & meta description) or pass it on to the development team (e.g., to fix hreflang misconfiguration).

2. How do you perform competitor research?

Possible answer: To get the best possible competitor insights, I use competitive research tools like SE Ranking. These tools help me identify the direct and partial competitors of websites. I also use these tools to find out which sites perform best and which ones are closest to my domain in terms of the current state. They also help me identify which pages (keyword clusters) drive organic traffic. I also analyze competitors’ website structure and primary design features and collect insights revolving around their off-page strategy, among other aspects. Finally, I use the most successful cases (which are also the most realistic) and all the collected data for my own SEO strategy.

3. What steps do you take to perform keyword research?

Possible answer: I use a two-step approach to conducting keyword research. First, I compile a list of seed keywords and then expand it using tools like Keyword Planner, SE Ranking, or other keyword research tools. I also use GSC query data for on-page optimization. After that, I conduct competitor research to identify their top-performing pages and keywords, then incorporate these insights into my own site. In addition, I use Google Trends to identify trending topics in the industry.

4. How do you conduct a content audit?

Possible answer: When performing a content audit, I first set clear goals and select the right metrics. Then, I consolidate all relevant URLs into a single spreadsheet and categorize the content by parameter type (e.g., content type, date, word count, etc). Using analytics tools, I fill out the table with the necessary values. Finally, I create an action plan for each piece of content based on the data collected.

5. How do you implement internal linking strategies?

Possible answer: I follow a step-by-step process when optimizing a website’s internal linking structure. I begin by crawling it to review its overall structure and click depth. I also analyze its current internal linking structure, identify its most linked-to pages, and check for possible orphan pages. In the meantime, I compile a list of priority pages and assign relevant keywords to each. Then, I figure out how to ensure that my top pages have the most links. For instance, I may link to them from the header and footer menus. I also incorporate anchor texts into my internal linking plan, spreading them logically throughout my content.

6. How do you approach E-E-A-T?

Possible answer: Since E-E-A-T stands for experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness, I always try to ensure that the content produced aligns with the following practices:

• The content is unique, high in quality, and written for people first.
• The content is created and/or reviewed by an expert with relevant expertise/experience in the field (and it’s outlined on the website via the bio description).
• All claims made in the content are supported by evidence.
• The website has an About Us page and author bios containing all essential information, among other expert signals.
• All content on external websites written by our experts contains a bio and social media links.

7. How do you measure SEO results?

Possible answer: To track SEO results, I first decide on the best SEO metrics based on set business goals. Then, I choose the most suitable tools to track highly specific results with (e.g., GA4 for user engagement and all traffic channels, and GSC combined with Rank Tracker for SEO performance). Finally, I set up my monitoring and reporting routine (daily, weekly, monthly) to monitor progress over time. SEO reporting tools allow me to automate the reporting process and use various customization options.

8. What was one of your most successful SEO campaigns?

Possible answer: Last year, I was hired by an online education company aiming to increase organic traffic and, consequently, leads. Within 12 months of my work there, I increased organic traffic by 350% (from 10,000 to 45,000 monthly visits), and qualified leads by 210% (from 300 to 930). I used a research-based content strategy, incorporated on-page optimization, and used a targeted off-page strategy to achieve these goals. Also, I collaborated with the content, design, and development teams to improve the site’s content quality and UX.

9. Which SEO tools do you regularly use?

Possible answer: I combine tools like GSC, GA4, and Bing Webmaster Tools with reliable third-party SEO platforms.

10. What tasks do you use ChatGPT for?

Possible answer: I typically use ChatGPT to get ideas, seek help with specific technical tasks, or generate small pieces of content. It’s great for brainstorming content ideas, assisting with outlines, generating structured data, or helping with Google Sheets formulas. It can also generate meta descriptions, FAQs, or other content elements. I have even used ChatGPT to construct emails for a digital PR campaign.